Could not have said better!

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Smith ‘needs to be removed from council ...’

 He has public fights with women. He runs out on bar tabs and creates a public disturbance. He has potential legal problems with the board of elections and, now, he’s invading the privacy of my home and harassing me with an offensive recorded message via telephone. Yes, A.J. has done it again.

A.J. Smith continues to create situations where his actions are an embarrassment for the city of Middletown. I received a telephone call from an unidentified, out-of-state telephone number with a recording by A.J. Smith asking me to attend a rally against Senate Bill 5 prior to the State of the City address by our mayor at the Pendleton Art Center (last) week.
He has every right to demonstrate and voice his political opinions; however, the point of this letter is not to debate the merits of Senate Bill 5, as we are all entitled to our opinions on this subject. Likewise, we all have a legal right to publicly demonstrate to put our feelings and opinions out to the public. However, A.J.’s actions, as an elected representative of our city, continue to be an embarrassment to the city of Middletown. His actions are those of an immature individual. His behavior continues to be on the childish side.
When I was a youngster, had I behaved in the manner that A.J. seems to conduct himself, relative to his position as a council person of the city of Middletown, I could expect that my parents would go to the nearest Forsythia bush and secure a nice, green twig to address my immature, adolescent behavior. ...
I have communicated my unhappiness with this council person to our mayor and, hopefully, to the rest of City Council. I feel that he needs to be removed from council because his actions continue to be a significant embarrassment for the city of Middletown.
While there is never a good time for this type of behavior, this all comes at a time when there seem to be some positive things happening within our city limits. I would also hope that those in the 2nd Ward who elected him to this position realize how embarrassing his actions are for this city.
I have expressed my unhappiness to council. I would certainly hope that the electorate in the 2nd Ward would agree with me, express their dislike of his behavior, and initiate proceedings to remove this embarrassment to our city from his elected position. It might be considered analogous to a cancer that will only spread if not surgically removed from the body.

Larry Steele
Middletown
Mr Steele was dead on. If the other members of council do not do something, they all need to go!!!! 

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Smartman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 14 2008 Status: Offline Points: 299	Post Options Post Reply Quote Smartman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Could not have said better! Posted: Apr 03 2011 at 6:37pm
	Smith ‘needs to be removed from council ...’ He has public fights with women. He runs out on bar tabs and creates a public disturbance. He has potential legal problems with the board of elections and, now, he’s invading the privacy of my home and harassing me with an offensive recorded message via telephone. Yes, A.J. has done it again. A.J. Smith continues to create situations where his actions are an embarrassment for the city of Middletown. I received a telephone call from an unidentified, out-of-state telephone number with a recording by A.J. Smith asking me to attend a rally against Senate Bill 5 prior to the State of the City address by our mayor at the Pendleton Art Center (last) week. He has every right to demonstrate and voice his political opinions; however, the point of this letter is not to debate the merits of Senate Bill 5, as we are all entitled to our opinions on this subject. Likewise, we all have a legal right to publicly demonstrate to put our feelings and opinions out to the public. However, A.J.’s actions, as an elected representative of our city, continue to be an embarrassment to the city of Middletown. His actions are those of an immature individual. His behavior continues to be on the childish side. When I was a youngster, had I behaved in the manner that A.J. seems to conduct himself, relative to his position as a council person of the city of Middletown, I could expect that my parents would go to the nearest Forsythia bush and secure a nice, green twig to address my immature, adolescent behavior. ... I have communicated my unhappiness with this council person to our mayor and, hopefully, to the rest of City Council. I feel that he needs to be removed from council because his actions continue to be a significant embarrassment for the city of Middletown. While there is never a good time for this type of behavior, this all comes at a time when there seem to be some positive things happening within our city limits. I would also hope that those in the 2nd Ward who elected him to this position realize how embarrassing his actions are for this city. I have expressed my unhappiness to council. I would certainly hope that the electorate in the 2nd Ward would agree with me, express their dislike of his behavior, and initiate proceedings to remove this embarrassment to our city from his elected position. It might be considered analogous to a cancer that will only spread if not surgically removed from the body. Larry Steele Middletown Mr Steele was dead on. If the other members of council do not do something, they all need to go!!!!

Middletown29 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 30 2011 Status: Offline Points: 474	Post Options Post Reply Quote Middletown29 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 03 2011 at 7:41pm
	The people that love to whine about the behavior of others always seem to want someone else to do something about it. Below are the requirements to recall a member of City Council. If you don't think AJ Smith is qualified to continue to serve, do something about it!! 705.92 Procedure for removal of elective officer by recall. Any elective officer of a municipal corporation may be removed from office by the qualified voters of such municipal corporation. The procedure to effect such removal shall be: (A) A petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least fifteen per cent of the total votes cast at the most recent regular municipal election, and demanding the election of a successor to the person sought to be removed, shall be filed with the board of elections. Such petition shall contain a general statement in not more than two hundred words of the grounds upon which the removal of such person is sought. The form, sufficiency, and regularity of any such petition shall be determined as provided in the general election laws. (B) If the petition is sufficient, and if the person whose removal is sought does not resign within five days after the sufficiency of the petition has been determined, the legislative authority shall thereupon order and fix a day for holding an election to determine the question of the removal of the elective officer, and for the selection of a successor to each officer named in said petition. Such election shall be held not less than thirty nor more than forty days from the time of the finding of the sufficiency of such petition. The election authorities shall publish notice and make all arrangements for holding such election, which shall be conducted and the result thereof returned and declared in all respects as are the results of regular municipal elections. (C) The nomination of candidates to succeed each officer sought to be removed shall be made, without the intervention of a primary election, by filing with the election authorities, at least twenty days prior to such special election, a petition proposing a person for each such office, signed by electors equal in number to ten per cent of the total votes cast at the most recent regular municipal election for the head of the ticket. (D) The ballots at such recall election shall, with respect to each person whose removal is sought, submit the question: “Shall (name of person) be removed from the office of (name of office) by recall?” Immediately following each such question, there shall be printed on the ballots, the two propositions in the order set forth: “For the recall of (name of person).” “Against the recall of (name of person).” Immediately to the left of the proposition shall be placed a square in which the electors may vote for either of such propositions. Under each of such questions shall be placed the names of candidates to fill the vacancy. The name of the officer whose removal is sought shall not appear on the ballot as a candidate to succeed the officer’s self. In any such election, if a majority of the votes cast on the question of removal are affirmative, the person whose removal is sought shall be removed from office upon the announcement of the official canvass of that election, and the candidate receiving the plurality of the votes cast for candidates for that office shall be declared elected. The successor of any person so removed shall hold office during the unexpired term of the successor’s predecessor. The question of the removal of any officer shall not be submitted to the electors until such officer has served for at least one year of the term during which he is sought to be recalled. The method of removal provided in this section, is in addition to such other methods as are provided by law. If, at any such recall election, the incumbent whose removal is sought is not recalled, the incumbent shall be repaid the incumbent’s actual and legitimate expenses for such election from the treasury of the municipal corporation, but such sum shall not exceed fifty per cent of the sum that the incumbent is by law permitted to expend as a candidate at any regular municipal election. Effective Date: 08-22-1995

TonyB Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Jan 12 2011 Location: Middletown, OH Status: Offline Points: 631	Post Options Post Reply Quote TonyB Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 03 2011 at 7:57pm
	Mtown29 - well said; talk is cheap, a call to action has been sounded. What will be the response? I did find it interesting that if a candidate is petitioned for recall but not recalled; he gets repaid for actual and legitimate expenses for such election. I also did not realize that a candidate by law can only spend so much money on running for municipal office. If you're gonna recall him, make sure you have the votes to win or we'll just waste more money that the city doesn't have. I hope that you also have a replacement.

randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 03 2011 at 10:08pm
	I agree that talk is cheap, but if you don’t live in the second ward and AJ is not your representative there is not much you can do. I live in the third ward and I am pretty happy with my representative. While I do agree that AJ is not doing a great job of representing the city as a whole, the city as a whole can’t remove him. It has to come from the second ward. And Smartman, not sure what you want the rest of council to do to stop AJ from acting the way he has acted. They don’t have the power to remove him. I did hear that AJ has no plans on running for a second term. If that is true than you could just wait it out. I personally don’t believe that he will only run once, in fact I would not be surprised if he runs for mayor.
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VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 04 2011 at 6:50am
	IMO. AJ would be more effective in the world that he prefers, rather than council.....an official in a public union sitting next to what's his name in the firefighter's union. I believe he would be more effective there, would help his union buddies out and would get someone else in there to represent the folks in the 2nd Ward better. He has the Democratic mindset of supporting union workers and seems to like the way Obama operates with the give-away programs to both corporations and to welfare recipients/Section 8. He would be smart to reconsider any plans at a second run for council and concentrate his efforts on attaching himself to a union and slipping into a firefighter role. Council isn't doing him any good as far as advancing with a profession in life. Time to move on. JMO

spiderjohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749	Post Options Post Reply Quote spiderjohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 04 2011 at 9:13am
	I don't see AJ running again for Council. One 4-year term is enough for anyone. He was elected overwhelmingly in a ward that is hamstrung by continual low voter turn-out and apathy(when it comes to actually putting up a real effort to do pretty much anything). Since most of the clamor for his removal is coming from outside the 2nd ward, the talk is pretty much gas. In today's global perspective, it is sad to see locals cling to the right-wing closed shop of Butler County(as corrupt of a political machine as you could find). A young out-spoken black man attached to the Obama agenda is pretty scary to many old conservatives around here. Well--he hasn't any significant arrests or convictions, particularly of theft, illegal business ethics or dereliction of public responsibility. Our Mayor publicly ambushed Councilman Smith, with no vocal Council support, and Councilman Smith returned the favor by leading a protest before the Mayor's State of the City address. So--can we now declare it even and begin to function as a cohesive productive Council? Not that we have done so for the last decade +. Jim A.Jr. survived a messy DUI, while trying to use his position for a way out. David S. survived a messy legal situation costing him a county job rather than facing charges. Bill B survived a serious breach by allowing legal to tape private client/attorney conversations without client/lawyer knowledge. Ms.Williams, Mr.Wells, Mr.Marconi et al survived widespread public embarrassment when airing the privte issues and dislike for various Council co-horts. Mayor Mulligan has repeatly failed to recuse himself from issues involing his residential neighborhood and properties handled by his employer........ Take your pick. Plenty of stones could be thrown in these areas.. Can we move on to make the best of this group? Hopefully. Thanx Mike P for getting press on a revived situation that should be un-acceptable to everyone, other than those favored by the inconvenient somewhat closed work sessions? If we don't use TVM for these situations, just what is it's true purpose and benefit to the taxpayer whose funding pays their way? We know see sponorship of sporting events, why not sponsorship of all public work sessions(even could be tape delayed if shown in a quick comeback manner). Well--I don't think that the Mayor's tough talk has caused anyton to pack their bags and leave town yet.

LMAO Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Oct 28 2009 Location: Middletucky Status: Offline Points: 468	Post Options Post Reply Quote LMAO Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 04 2011 at 10:15am
	If council cant do anything about him just maybe he will be behinde bars if he doesnt pay the bill he says he thought was paid.What was it 4,200.00? He just needs to crawl back under the rock he came out from under.

acclaro Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1878	Post Options Post Reply Quote acclaro Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 04 2011 at 1:52pm
	sj, I am in a stage like you, my time and commentary on this forum has run its course and my statements become rambling and repetive. I am not saying yours are, rather, like you, I realize my contribution is at a point there is very little further I can say....I have said enough. As TonyB madea nice reference a good friend of mine that was once a CEO of a large company uses, when the subject needs no further discussion, not worth the effort, we just say in unison, "NEXT." Now to your point sj, as always, well made. You made many excellent pts about some of the tarnished history while serving. I don't mind one way or another on the council meetings held upstairs, and assume to some extent, they help make the meetings expeditious. They meet, discuss where they satnd, to avoid spending a few extra hours at the council meetings so they can go home. Anyone can listen in. My curiousity, perhaps warped, is what does Mr. Allen and Mr. Mulligan mean, that holding them upstarismake them "more convenient." Is seating more comfortable, room temperature better, or because they are out of public eye, its simply more comfortable. If so, Iassume there is a reason public meetings are to be made public. The same public records are to be made public, that public bids are made public, et al. As to AJ, while I agree with the over bashing AJ, the difference as I see it, and I might be an anomoly is this: much of what I have seen in Mr. Smith's actions goes far and above the duties of council and into areas that affect Ohio and federal government. I know of no council member that I could make such a comment about. Your references about past discretions were enligtening, and serious. But, did not the client/ attnorney discretions occur when Mr. Becker was Chief, not a council member or city manager? Was not the actions of Mr. A. Jr. not outside his council duties, while leveraging his name, to no avail? The same with Mr. S., with the execption by attending a council meeting, when he had phoned in ill during the day in his job, did that fact imapct his job and its continuance, and not his work on council? You make excellent points, my only everso minor agreemnt in regards to Mr. Smith would be this. Mr. Smith has an agenda at council which focuses outside the affairs of Middletown, and into sate and federal affairs. That's his agenda. Should he be removed? Perhaps- probably. Will he/ Doubtful. Whatever that % to be, 15% of voters and I assume in his ward, would not bother, waste of time. So as my friend in Arizona say often, and as TonyB referenced, its on to "Next." My time to Unplug is here, travel safe.

spiderjohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749	Post Options Post Reply Quote spiderjohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 04 2011 at 4:27pm
	I am with you, acclaro Long past time to turn this venue over to younger caring faces/voices who have the desire to make this area their home, and to move it into a proper prosperous future. 4 years and 1000+ posts is enough. Repitition is tiresome, however the dark side keeps repeating the same unworkable unfair wasteful policies. And keeps on bullying the little guys in order to feed their enablers(totally dependent on taxpayer blood). I learned years ago to never say "I am out of here". Always comes back to bite you.

acclaro Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1878	Post Options Post Reply Quote acclaro Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr 04 2011 at 5:38pm
	Totally agree sj. I did not mean to refer to your mandate and occasional posting. I understand the need to 'rebut' several pts from the dark side. Wish words could be put into action. Non Verba Gratis. Traction isn't grabbing. The Beast will continue to feast until a company starves it like AK, but it unfortuanetly, will not be the citizen. You are also spot on in regards to Butler Cty and the Repub Party. As corrupt as any in the country, but business as usual.